


the silence that only comes (when two people understand each other)

by LiveLaughLovex



Category: The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: (it's not between harper and abe though just to be clear), Established Relationship, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Light Angst, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: It was difficult, at times, to come to terms with the fact that always knowing how to love a person didn't always mean knowing how to help them.
Relationships: John "Abe" Abraham/Harper Li
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	the silence that only comes (when two people understand each other)

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from Taylor Swift's "Peace." 
> 
> // 
> 
> *WARNING:* There are brief mentions of some pretty serious instances of domestic violence within this story. I've tagged it, as well. If that sort of thing poses a risk to your mental or emotional health, PLEASE turn back now.

Harper was already settled on the sofa when Abe arrived home from work that evening, tucked beneath a pile of blankets, fresh-faced with damp hair. He knew without asking that she’d stolen one of his most worn-in tees – the ones he’d had around since Basic, practically – from the back of the closet, as she did almost every time she stayed over. She tried to smile convincingly at him, but the expression was shaky and faded quickly as he drew nearer to the sofa.

“Hi,” he greeted softly, taking a seat next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her into his side, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “How’re you doing?”

She lifted her shoulders in response, sniffling quietly and swiping hurriedly at the few rogue tears that’d managed to escape, and then mustered up a smile that managed to break his heart even more than the first one had. “I’m doing okay,” she told him, averting her gaze when he simply continued staring at her, obviously concerned. “It was a hard case, but it’s the job, right?”

“What happened today wasn’t the job,” he protested softly. “What happened today never should have happened.”

She nodded jerkily against his neck. “I didn’t think he’d actually do it,” she admitted, her voice no more than a whisper. “He was threatening to, the whole time we were in there, but I didn’t think he’d end up actually doing it.”

Abe’s arm tightened around her. “Neither did I.”

“Maybe if I’d waited for NCIS, or even the MPs,” she continued, voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt, “I could’ve stopped him from…”

“Harper,” he interrupted, soft but stern, “he wanted to hurt her. He was going to do it, regardless of you or anyone else. He held a gun to her head, sweetheart. Right in front of us. He wanted to hurt her.”

She drew in a deep breath. “How’s she doing? Do you know?”

He exhaled deeply, already dreading having to be the one to tell her. “She’s in critical condition right now. They’re, uh...” He shook his head, throat clogged with emotion when she made a small, heartbroken sound, face crumpling at the news. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. But some of the doctors say she’s still got a chance. It’s not a huge one, but it’s there.” 

“There’s a chance?” she repeated hopefully.

“There’s a chance,” he confirmed, smiling down at her. 

Her eyes drifted shut in relief. “Good. That’s… that’s good. And he’s going to…”

“Maya’s not even approaching us with a deal this time,” he promised. “He’ll be doing all his time in the brig, Harper.”

She nodded once more, then shifted beneath his arm, trying to get a bit closer. “I’m glad for that, I just… we don’t have to talk about it, do we? Not tonight, at least. Can we just…”

“Of course,” he agreed without hesitation, taking the remote she extended in his direction and quickly hunting down one of the sitcoms they’d been meaning to watch but hadn’t quite gotten around to just yet. “This okay?” he murmured, glancing back down at her.

He murmured in sleepy agreement against his chest, and he smiled softly before clicking into the episode.

They didn’t talk about it again that night, but he kept worrying about her, to the point that he got next to no sleep, instead lying on his side, next to her in bed, watching for any sign of the nightmares he still so clearly recalled haunting him night after night on the worst days of his career.

It was difficult, at times, for him to come to terms with the fact that always knowing how to love a person didn’t always mean knowing how to help them. It was even harder when the person in question was Harper, because he could honestly say he hadn’t ever loved anyone the way he loved her. He didn’t ever want her to be in pain, be it physical, mental, or emotional. He didn’t ever want her to suffer in that way, not even for a moment, and he hated that, when she did, there was very little he could do to lessen whatever pain it was she was experiencing. Whatever he did do, it never felt like enough.

But as he laid awake beside her, his hand resting next to hers, and she reached for him even in the haze of sleep, her fingers absently entangling with his as she slowly blinked briefly awake, smiled sleepily up at him, and then almost instantly fell back into a deep, more restful sleep, he realized that maybe what he was doing was just exactly enough. He smiled slightly to himself as the thought struck, then settled in to get some sleep himself. 

When they awoke the following morning, their fingers were still intertwined.


End file.
